May 28/09 18:53 pm - CCES Performs Almost 4,000 Tests for 2008-09

Posted by Editor on 05/28/09

With files from CCES

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) completed its fiscal year - April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2009 - with a total of 3,951 doping control tests and 16 anti-doping rule violations. During the period, several milestones were achieved, including the release of an updated set of anti-doping rules, and the determination of a set of three rule violations resulting from an investigation.

Seventy-three percent, or 2,878 tests, were conducted under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), which is funded by Sport Canada and administered by the CCES on behalf of Canadian athletes. The CCES led a major renewal of the program during this year; the revised CADP went into effect on January 1, 2009, re-aligned and in tandem with the new World Anti-Doping Code. At year-end 63 funded and recognized sport organizations had formally adopted the CADP as a concrete way to demonstrate their commitment to clean sport.

Cycling was the fourth most tested sport, with 152 total tests (59 In Competition / 93 Out of Competition), after Athletics (303 tests), Swimming (209) and Canoe/Kayak (196).

“The CCES collected the highest number of samples in its history this year,” said CCES President and CEO Paul Melia. “Looking forward though we will concentrate our domestic testing program less on random testing and more on intelligent testing while at the same time continuing to offer our fee-for-service testing to international sport bodies. These testing activities combined with our investigations work and education initiatives will form an increasingly effective combination of deterrence and detection in our efforts to fight doping in sport.”

Sixteen anti-doping rule violations were reported during the year. Ten of them were first violations for cannabis use and resulted in a warning and reprimand with no period of ineligibility. The CCES has alerted the Canadian sport community that, under new CADP rules, violations for cannabis use will likely result in sanction time, and any second violation over the next eight years would result in very serious consequences.

The CCES reported its first violations for both admission and administration of a banned substance. Three individuals were sanctioned, including lifetime bans for two athlete support personnel, for the long-term planned use of EPO to achieve cycling results.

Note: This is in reference to the Lifetime Bans applied to cycling coach André Aubut and doctor Maurice Duquette, for administering EPO to cyclist Geneviève Jeanson. Jeanson received a ten year sanction.

The remaining 1,073 tests were conducted on a fee-for-service basis for national sport organizations, international sport federations, national anti-doping organizations, and two international anti-doping agencies: the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Association of National Anti-Doping Organizations (ANADO), which contract doping control internationally.

Cycling had four tests conducted in this category - three on behalf of the UCI, and one for the International Paralympic Committee.